Cyberchondria Severity and its Associated Factors among Patients Visiting Outpatient Departments of Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan

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Objective: To determine the severity and associated factors of cyberchondria among patients visiting the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at Sohail Trust Hospital, Karachi, which is a tertiary care private hospital in Korangi, from March 2024 to November 2024. A total of 361 participants were recruited through non-probability purposive sampling. Data was collected using a semistructured questionnaire comprising socio-demographic variables, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-14) and the cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS-15). Binary logistic regressionanalyses were performed to determine associations. P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Of the 361 participants, A total of 361 participants were included, with a mean age of 31.4 ± 9.2 years. The mean CSS-15 score was 34.8 ± 7.1, while the mean HADS anxiety and depression scores were 9.1 ± 3.8 and 8.4 ± 3.5, respectively. Using the sample median CSS-15 score of 34, participants were classified into lower- and higher- severity groups for binary analysis. Younger age, female gender, higher educational attainment, marital status, and lack of trust in general practitioners were significantly associated with higher cyberchondria severity.Conclusion: Higher cyberchondria severity was associated with sociodemographic and psychological factors. These findings emphasize the urgent need for interventions aimed at improving digital health literacy and strengthening physician to patient trust in clinical settings.

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